This invention relates to the treatment and sterilization of liquids by means of ultraviolet radiation. More particularly, the invention provides a novel apparatus for irradiating drinking water to kill microorganisms commonly found in water supplies which cause sickness in human beings.
Contaminated water is a major cause of sicknesses that often plague travelers to foreign countries. Microorganisms in the water supply are also a concern for backpackers, hikes, and campers who are away from drinking water supplied by modern water treatment facilities. The microorganism which is the major cause of stomach disorders in travelers is coliform bacteria.
It is known that ultraviolet radiation can be used to kill organic contamination within water supplies. U.S. Pat. No. 1,473,095 to Henri et al discloses an apparatus for sterilizing liquids by means of ultraviolet rays. In the patent water is passed through quartz tubes in proximity to an ultraviolet source to sterilize the water by making it free of living microorganisms. Other apparatus have been developed for the sterilization of drinking glasses such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,961,700 to Moehler; and for sterilization of medical or dental equipment such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,750 to Fuesting.
In spite of the general knowledge of UV sterilization of drinking water, the technique heretonow has been applied mainly in dedicated water supply systems for community use or in laboratory settings. The need for a UV source which can be safely employed in a portable personalized water sterilizer has remained unsatisfied.